Lawsuit claims bakery withheld overtime payments

by Analise Ortiz

The lawsuit accuses De Alba Bakery, a chain based in Hidalgo County, of enforcing a policy “of not paying overtime compensation to employees who work more than forty (40) hours in a discrete work week.”

Eight employees of a well-known local bakery chain filed a lawsuit against the business accusing it of wage theft.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court on November 1. It accuses De Alba Bakery, a chain based in Hidalgo County, of enforcing a policy “of not paying overtime compensation to employees who work more than forty (40) hours in a discrete work week.”

An owner of De Alba Bakery declined to answer CBS 4 News’ questions about the lawsuit Friday.

Hector Guzman-Lopez, a coordinator with Fuerza Del Valle Workers Center, told CBS 4 News that complaints about lack of overtime pay is common in the Rio Grande Valley.

“The Valley is a really poor area and one of the reasons it’s very poor is because a lot of employers are not obeying labor law,” Guzman-Lopez said.

Employees who suspect they are not being compensated for overtime or are not being paid minimum wage can file a complaint with the Texas Workforce Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.